Blue Velvet
by Ally612
Summary: Bonnie didn't die in the accident. Perhaps she really was what held Rhett and Scarlett together. It's been said that children were miracles, after all. RR please.
1. Chapter One

"_Mother, watch!"_

"_I'm watching, dear," said Scarlett smiling._

_As Rhett lifted the child and set her on the pony, Scarlett called with a swift rush of pride at the straight back and the proud set of the head, "You're mighty pretty, precious!"_

"_So are you," said Bonnie generously and, hammering a heel into Mr. Butler's ribs, she galloped down the yard toward the arbor._

"_Mother, watch me take this one!" She cried, laying on the crop._

Watch me take this one!

_Memory rang a bell far back in Scarlett's mind. There was something ominous about those words. What was it? Why was it? Why couldn't she remember? She looked down at her small daughter, so lightly poised on the galloping pony and her brow wrinkled as a chill swept swiftly through her breast. Bonnie came on with a rush, her crisp black curls jerking, her blue eyes blazing._

"_They are like Pa's eyes," thought Scarlett, "Irish blue eyes and she's just like him in every way."_

_And as she thought of Gerald, the memory for which she had been fumbling came to her swiftly, came with the heart stopping clarity of summer lightning, throwing, for one instant, a whole countryside into unnatural brightness. She could hear and Irish voice singing, hear the hard rapid pounding of hooves coming up the pasture hill at Tara, hear a reckless voice, so like the voice of her child: "Ellen! Watch me take this one!"_

"_No!" She cried. "No! Oh, Bonnie, stop!"_

_Even as she leaned from the window there was a fearful sound of splintering wood, a hoarse cry from Rhett, a melee of blue velvet and flying hooves on the ground. Then Mr. Butler scrambled to his feet and trotted off with an empty saddle. _

Pg. 990 – 991, Margaret Mitchell's Gone With the Wind

---

They had had to cut the soiled blue riding habit from her body, and she cradled the faded and spotted, occasionally frayed, velvet between her hands, rubbing nervously. A spot of dried blood, a fleck, really, adorned the habit, and her fingers from hours, or was that minutes, ago. Her bloodshot eyes never left her trembling fingers as they weaved through the cloth.

It seemed as if Bonnie would need a new riding habit after all.

She did not know how she managed to make her way to the lawn, her ribs screaming in protest the entire way, her face ghostly white from pain and fright as she clutched at the railing of the stairs and almost tumbled down the steps in haste. Her journey was all for naught as the front door flew open revealing her daughter's pale body in her husband's pale arms, a pale Pork running beside him. He almost didn't see her there, shivering and small on the second to last stair, but he had heard her shrill scream.

"BONNIE!"

And he had most certainly seen her collapse against the stairs, unconscious and wan. Pork had carried her to her room and Mammy had woken her, minutes later. Scarlett, still ghostly pale, had blanched and mewled for her daughter.

"Bonnie," she whimpered, "I want my baby, where's my baby? I want Bonnie, please, please, I want her!"

Mammy's dark skin seemed to be the color of parchment as she motioned for Pork to carry her into the nursery. She paused, pursing her lips, patting Scarlett's clammy hand, smoothing her matted hair.

"Doan you worry, Miss Scarlett, yo' baby's gwine tah be jus' fine, you'll see."

Scarlett's shoulders shook with a suppressed sob, and her wide eyes locked with Mammy's until Pork had turned the corner.

The nursery looked like a sick parody of a child's playroom. The toy blocks, hair ribbons, and dolls that littered the floor looked malformed, somber and misplaced. Pork cleared his throat and Rhett looked up from his place next to the bed. His hair was all over the place; his mustache seemed to be thicker on one side and longer on the other. He was just as pale, if not more so than she. His dark eyes were wild and, she was shocked to see, full of tears when they met hers. He had staggered to his feet and she had managed to tumble into his arms. He clutched her to his chest with bruising force, and choked out to Pork that he could wait for the Doctor downstairs. They barely registered the click of the misleadingly cheerful door as it closed. He buried his face in her chest, weeping.

"Scarlett," he keened thickly, "it's all my fault…she should never have jumped…" he shuddered, "Bonnie, baby, its daddy, it's your daddy, please wake up, please…"

Slowly, her hand made its way to his cold face, and for a moment, there was silence. A tear fell out of his eye, and with quaking fingers, she brushed it away.

"Hush, Rhett" even her voice trembled, "you couldn't have done anything…she would have jumped anyway…" her voice split and a sob surged forth, "she would have done it anyway…that's our baby girl…"

Another silence.

"Oh God," she choked, "that's my daughter, Rhett, please, please, do something…I can't loose another baby…please, Rhett, please, you've got to do something." She let a stream of tears soak his cravat.

---

After the doctor had arrived, he had shut down his face, it was impossible to tell what he was thinking. He had nearly yelled at Rhett for allowing Scarlett to be up so soon after she had fallen. He had begun to soak his hands in brandy and cover his clothes in his bland over shirt, as he had done so many times before when Scarlett had seen him as a nurse.

The sights, smells, and noises of the hospital from the War rose in her mind, and she clutched at Rhett frantically, her knuckles white and her eyes wide. She gagged slightly and took deep breathes through her nose. When she had opened her eyes, Rhett was staring at her in concern.

"Captain Butler? Mrs. Butler? We're going to have to undress her to see the extent of her injuries." He reached inside his medicinal bag and pulled out a large pair of scissors. "Who has steadier hands?"

She looked at Rhett who seemed to be begging her to do so, unwilling to even touch his daughter, afraid it would harm her. She swallowed.

"I do, Doctor Meade." Her voice sounded strange, too calm, not as if she had been weeping only minutes before.

Steadily the scissors had torn the habit from Bonnie's body, and each time she opened the blades for another snip, she made sure her daughter's chest rose and fell again, just as surely as the breath before. When the velvet frayed down the middle, she shrugged her daughter's body out of it, with the help of Doctor Meade, as to not disrupt her head and neck.

"Now tie her hair away please, I need to examine her head."

Scarlett bent to retrieve a hair try and cried out in pain as her vision was streaked with white. Rhett gave a little cry of alarm and grasped her waist, pulling her upright against him. She gave out a little moan of pain, and the hair ribbon was quickly passed to Doctor Meade who tied the girl's hair to the best of his abilities. Scarlett clutched her ribs and winced through the pain.

"Now, Mr. Butler, kindly escort yourself and your wife out, while I examine Bonnie."

The curt tone brooked no disobedience, but when Rhett moved to argue; Scarlett placed a soothing arm on his shoulder and gave a weary sigh, leaning on him.

"Please Rhett; take me out of here…" He nodded but once he had her seated on a chair in the parlor, swept away to his room, leaving her alone with the riding habit in her hands.

---

"Mrs. Butler?"

She did not look up.

"Scarlett?"

That seemed to do the trick, and her head shot up, and Doctor Meade almost winced. She looked awful…she was not recovering as well as he had hoped, nor as quickly, and her daughter's equestrian accident would only set her back.

As she moved to stand, he rushed to her side, offering her his arm.

"Please, Scarlett. Let me." She acquiesced with a small frown. He looked her over for a moment. Her breathing was uneven, and each time she took too deep of a breath, he noted her wince. Her walk was more of a limp then anything, and her pale face had not gained back as much color as he hoped. He shook his head. More bed rest for Mrs. Butler, then.

"Well," she demanded in a strangled voice, "how is she?"

He shook his head. "Let's retrieve your husband so I won't have to repeat myself."

When Rhett had been seated next to Scarlett, Doctor Meade had sunk into a stiff-backed chair with a large glass of brandy.

"You are both very fortunate. She did not break her neck." He took an unprofessional swig of the amber liquid in the expensive glass. "It seems to me that she slid off the horse before he jumped, as I mentioned, very fortunate for all of you. She struck her head on something hard, and drew blood, however little. One of her arms is fractured, only slightly, it will mend in time, and three of her fingers on that samearmare broken in one place. One of her legs is sprained badly and she is scraped from various shrapnel. She is sporting several bruises on her back, haemotomas, very likely. She will wake in time, I hope. It could be hours, it could be days, maybe even weeks. I've given her a dose of laudanum and will leave the rest for you to administer when the pain grows particularly much…I shall be back tomorrow to check on her and set the plasters on her…however."

Each injury drew a shaky breath from both Rhett and Scarlett and when he was finished; Rhett's hand had replaced the velvet between her fingers. He fixed the couple with a stern glare.

"She is not to ride that horse for another three years, Captain Butler, and not to be jumping for another three after that. Understood?"

Rhett only nodded with a white face and squeezed Scarlett's hand with a firm grip. Neither rose to show the doctor to the door. They were already on their way upstairs.

---

They sat opposite each other, each holding some part of their daughter. Rhett took her uninjured hand; Scarlett smoothed her daughter's dark curls and ran her hand over the girl's slack face.

There was silence in the nursery for a long time.

"We can't lose her Scarlett." The hoarse and earnest voice of her husband sounded very quiet in the room. She reached with effort, ignoring the protesting pain in her abdomen, to pat his hand soothingly.

"We won't lose her, we won't." She hoped her words didn't sound as empty as she thought they did. Tears pooled in her dull green eyes as she looked down at her daughter. "Do you think she knows, Rhett?"

"What, Scarlett?"

"Do you think she knows how much I love her? How much I need her?" Her bottom lip was crushed between her teeth and her eyes pleaded with him.

His answer was simple. "I think she does Scarlett…and when she wakes, you can remind her all over again."

She tried to smile in gratitude, though she knew it looked like a grimace. She took a shuddering breath and truly grimaced, one hand massaging the tenderness of her chest as let out a quiet groan.

"Scarlett, are you all right?"

"I'm fine, just sore."

He looked guilty then, she noticed. She had never been able to read Rhett this easily before, and a small part took pleasure in this triumph, however inappropriate it was in the setting.

"I'm sorry, Scarlett," he said suddenly.

"I've already told you Rhett, Bonnie would have jumped anyways…and you know that-"

He cut her off, shaking his head ruefully; refusing to meet her eyes as he tenderly stroked his daughter's hand.

"Not for that," he paused, "for what I said before, when you told me," he had to visibly force himself to continue, "when you told me that you were," another pause, "going to have a baby."

She heard the sharp intake of her own breath and her eyes overflowed again, "Oh God," she moaned, "Rhett, I wanted that baby so badly, I did, I did, I wanted him so much, and I _knew_ it was going to be a boy, I could feel it, and oh God," she swallowed heavily, "Rhett, I was so happy, and I couldn't wait to tell you, and I didn't want to tell you like that, and oh God, oh God, it hurt so much and I hurt you too, I know I did, oh Rhett, I'm so sorry I lost our baby…I'm so sorry…" she trailed off into sobs, her face buried in her hands, choking on her tears.

He was kneeling beside her, gazing at her intently, his own face tear-splotched, and she fell to her knees beside him, and his arms were ever-so gentle when they encircled her.

"Hush," he whispered into her hair, "it's going to be all right, _we're_ going to be all right."

And in that moment, as they both let their guards down, let their walls of blocked up emotions fall, they both believed his words.

---

Doctor Meade visited twice a day for a week, checking their small daughter carefully for signs of recovery, weakening, and on a Thursday afternoon, sunny as could be, he had good news.

"Captain Butler, tell your wife when she comes downstairs that Bonnie will be awake in a few hours."

One of the only smiles that Rhett had truly ever shown appeared on his face. Bonnie was going to be all right.

"Stay here for a moment Doctor; I'd like to invite you to breakfast!"

Doctor Meade waved him off, but Rhett grinned, ordering him to put his coat on the rack and let his hat join it. He'd be right back after he woke Scarlett. He took the stairs two at a time, not mindful of the racket he knew to be making. He pounded down the hallway, calling her name joyfully.

She heard his exclamations as he came up the stairs, and blearily made her way to the vanity, powdering her face and smoothing back her chignon from the night before. She rubbed her eyes like a child and reached for her green silk wrapper before stumbling to the door, mindful of Rhett's footsteps getting closer and closer.

He didn't bother to knock, but immediately swept into the room and scooped her into his arms, swinging her about. She pushed against his upper arms, looking at him questioningly.

"Rhett, what on _earth_ has gotten you so worked up?"

"Scarlett, darling, she's going to wake today!" She felt her mouth fly open and blushed as Rhett closed it gently. "Flies, my dear, flies."

She swatted him without anger, "Oh hush Rhett! Bonnie's really going to wake today?"

"Yes!" He almost shouted. "Yes, she's going to be fine, Scarlett!"

He crushed her in an embrace and she clutched him as well, murmuring, "She's going to be fine," in wonder. He put her down then, and pulled back, holding her at arms length.

"Thank you, Scarlett."

She looked at him oddly. "Whatever for, Rhett?"

"This," he whispered, as he pressed his lips to hers.

After a breakfast of stolen glances, and hidden caresses under the table with their feet, Doctor Meade headed home for a shower and shave, exclaiming to the Butlers that he had spent more time with them than his own wife these past days! They laughed at his joke and sent him off with profuse thanks. Scarlett had planted a brief kiss on his cheek that had actually sent the man into a flush and stammer. She had caught Rhett's eyes and they had shared a laugh over it.

They headed to the stairs then, eager to wait for Bonnie's awakening.

---

It had started with gentle sighs, then a few indistinct murmurs, then slight shifts, a toss of the head, a quiet moan, and soon, Bonnie had stirred into waking. Once, twice, three times, she blinked slowly, her dark eyelashes kissing her face rapidly and her beautiful eyes blearily took in the world around her.

Or rather the faces of her parents who both anxiously stood above her.

"Mother? Daddy? What's going on?" She tried to sit up, but two hands gently pushed her down.

"Bonnie, you're awake at last!" her father whispered, his dark eyes shining. "And aren't you the prettiest thing I've ever seen?" He cooed at his little girl, planting a kiss on her hand, then her palm.

"Oh precious, I've missed you so!" her mother echoed, a tear trailing down her cheek. She smiled widely and brought the injured hand to her cheek and laid it there, covered by her own hands.

"Why are you so sad, Mother?" Bonnie seemed to be waking from a nap, perhaps five minutes or so, not the week long saga of slumber she had been in previously.

"I'm not sad, baby, I'm very, very happy to see you awake!" Scarlett answered tearfully.

"Yes," her father echoed hoarsely, "very happy indeed."

Rhett caught Scarlett's eye and they smiled. It was a smile of happiness, joy at Bonnie's recovery, hope that somehow they could fix what had been broken, a smile that promised of better things to come.

**---**

**Review please!**

**There are two more epilogues coming, so look out for those! **


	2. Chapter Two

Bonnie's recovery had been a rocky one; it had taken longer than Doctor Meade had thought for her injuries to heal. The two months he had promised, turned to three, then slowly four, then six. The plaster, heavy and caked on had turned to lighter slings and lighter plaster, and finally, Bonnie was healed enough, he felt.

"Mother!"

Scarlett turned from her vanity where she was carefully lining her eyes with the newest shipment of kohl from her store. Blinking to clear her vision, she smiled down at her daughter.

"Yes, precious?"

"My plaster itches something _awful_, and I'm very hungry!"Bonnie frowned; her black curls framing her angelic face, her blue eyes watering with what Scarlett suspected were crocodile tears.

"I know, darling, but Doctor Meade is going to be here in a little while to take off your plasters and then you can have a nice supper, all right?" Scarlett reigned in a smile; Bonnie didn't like being laughed at.

"No! I want them off now!"

"Bonnie Blue Butler, did I hear a tone?" Rhett's playful voice chimed into the conversation suddenly. Bonnie merely harrumphed. Rhett smiled and turned to Scarlett. "Good morning, dear, have you seen my blue vest, I cannot seem to find it..."

She nodded, "I believe it's in the parlor. When the boys came over for poker last night, you all got rather comfortable…" She arched an eyebrow.

"Ah, still sore that I let them smoke, then?"

"Rhett Butler, you know that I detest the smell of smoke and it won't come out of the cushions for days!"

"You don't seem to mind it when _I_ smoke, my pet." He looked at her closely, a smile in his eyes.

"Yes, well, it's _ever so dashing_ on you, Rhett!" She exaggeratedly flirted with him.

He merely smiled, gave her a wink and held out his arms for Bonnie. "Come on sweetheart; let's get you something to eat."

Bonnie smiled triumphantly at her mother and let her chubby arms rest around her father, waving generously at her mother, who made a face and turned back to the vanity.

After Bonnie had awoken that day, Rhett and Scarlett had spoken about her behavior. She had finally convinced him that she was getting too spoiled, too unruly, she needed some discipline. They had agreed to compromise. Scarlett would give up the lumber mills and spend time with Bonnie, and Rhett would let Mammy and Scarlett have some say in Bonnie's life, finally. It had worked out quite well, even solving some of Rhett and Scarlett's problems. Bonnie became one less thing to argue about, and without the presence of the lumber mills, Ashley Wilkes became one less thing to worry about, and soon Rhett and Scarlett became closer, more like best friends than anything. The teased each other mercilessly, sometimes going too far, argued good-naturedly, and managed to share a home together.

---

"Daddy, I don't want to drink that stuff, it tastes bad! Please, daddy! Please, don't make me!"

Rhett turned to Scarlett for help, no matter how hard he tried, when Bonnie looked at him with those big blue eyes, and pouted, he daren't refuse her.

Scarlett was not pleased. "Eugenia Victoria, you complained all this week about your plasters and now when you're finally getting them off, you do this? Well, I guess they'll have to stay on."

Scarlett stared at her daughter with her arms folded.

"Fine," the little girl muttered.

Scarlett smiled, "That's better darling, now tell Doctor Meade you're sorry for being so rude."

The apology was nearly silent, but the fact old Doctor Meade even received one was enough for Scarlett, who relented and sat beside Rhett, holding her husband's hand and receiving a squeeze in gratitude.

"Now drink up, Miss Butler, and when you wake up, those nasty old plasters will be a thing of the past!" Doctor Meade instructed kindly.

---

"Finally," she murmured to Rhett after Bonnie had left the table for bed and a bath, "some peace and quiet."

He refilled his wine glass and smiled, "I'll drink to that!"

She smiled in turn and took a slow drink of her wine. She opened her mouth to speak but was soon caught in a yawn.

"Oh, I'm sorry Rhett, it's not the company, I must be more tired than I thought!"

Rhett stifled his own yawn, "No, my dear, no need for apologies, I'm going to head to bed as well, my conversation would be halted tonight."

They both rose from the table, and she took a moment to stretch, closing her green eyes, she didn't notice his eyes hungrily travel over her body, watching as the crème colored gown hugged her gorgeous body. When she opened her eyes, he was at her side, offering her his arm.

She knew that it was no longer because her chest pained her, and she smiled at him through lowered lashes. When she reached the doorway, they shared a goodnight kiss, not chaste, but not lewd. She hesitated for a moment as he turned to go into his room.

"Rhett!" She called, and he turned, enquiring, "Would you like to stay? I mean, not just tonight, after all it's your bedroom too…and, well, now that Bonnie's all right…well. Yes, would you like to stay?"

A finger was placed on her lips to quiet her rambling before his lips took their place.

"Yes," he whispered, "I would love to stay."

---

Things had stayed that way for a week, every night Scarlett would undress flirtatiously with Rhett watching greedily, every night he would do the same, and at the last second, she turned away, a small smile playing about her lips. She would dress for bed and he would do so as well, letting her slide into the bed first, and then following. The tension, the heat that was palpable between the two had the servants, neighbors, and Old Guard gossiping for days.

It was on a Monday night that all that pent up pressure was released, explosively.

Rhett and Scarlett began to argue. Again.

---

"Rhett," she pleaded, swallowing her pride, "you cannot let her go on like this, bossing you about, it's unseemly for a four year old girl!"

He turned to her, whiskey on his breath, the scent of cigar spicing his normal cologne. His black eyes glittered unpleasantly, "And what of you, Scarlett? How much time have you even spent with your daughter this week? How many times has Bonnie come to me after I return home, pleading me to play dolls with her, and have a tea party? _Daddy, daddy, Mother won't play dolls with me…won't you play, daddy?_"

She turned white, "That's not fair, Rhett." Her voice was quiet.

But he would not be quelled, "Bah, Scarlett. Nothing's fair for you, is it? No matter how much you try, you'll always be a bad mother. I don't even know why she wants to play with you. It's not fair, is it?" He mocked her, "And for that matter, nothing's enough either! I could lay the world at your feet, but it wouldn't matter, because it wasn't your _precious_ Ashley Wilkes!"

"You," she snarled, "you have no right." Her hand moved forward as if to strike him, but he caught it, and pulled painfully, tugging her to him.

"I have every right," he replied, his eyes dancing differently, "I'm your husband."

They stood there for a moment, her green eyes watering at his grip, his lip curled in contempt, his face down turned, searching hers intently. And slowly, then quicker, she raised herself up, curling her arm around his head, and crashed their lips together.

It was not a gentle kiss, nor loving. It was hard, almost uncomfortable for both of them, but they eased into each other's arms, Rhett pulling her to his chest with a muffled grunt of appreciation. Her arms tangled at his neck, weaving through his hair, cupping his face, stroking his jaw, his neck, his chest, and then lower still.

He broke the kiss, panting for air, gasping her name as she ran her fingers over his trousers, cupping him and squeezing gently. His breaths were shallow as she danced about with careful fingers at the juncture where his thighs met. After choking back what she knew to be a moan, he grabbed her fingers and stilled her hand, pressing the heel of it firmly against him. Shuddering, he spoke.

"Scarlett, it's too soon," he took in another breath as she smiled wickedly and cupped him again; "you're not healed yet."

She shook her head stubbornly, "I'm more than enough healed, Rhett. Please," she gave him a heated look, "unless you don't want to…"

He growled, "Minx, you know exactly what I want," and pushed his hips into her hand.

He nipped at her neck and she shuddered delicately and whispered, "Take me to bed, Rhett."

He was only too happy to comply.

---

"This doesn't solve everything, my pet…" His voice startled her out of the lull she had been resting in. Idly, her fingernails traced designs across his bare chest, and pulled up the sheet, covering them both more thoroughly. "Scarlett?" He questioned again.

"I know," she replied, "but Rhett, we've got to stop arguing like children! You spoil Bonnie too much," she placed a hand over his mouth, "no, hush; let me finish and then you can talk. We have to get her in line, you know it. You tell me I'm a bad mother, but Rhett, you never let me around her! She's my daughter too! I carried her under my heart for nine months, I birthed her, I fed her, I changed her…I was there too…and you have _got_ to stop bringing Ashley up! I don't love him anymore than I love a brother. But, Rhett...he'll always be a part of our lives, you know that…"

"Yes," he scowled, "I know that. And you're right," he swallowed, "Bonnie is out of hand…but I just can't say no to her…if you were with us, I might have more control…" he lightened the mood and ticked at her ribs for a moment before resting his hand there.

She giggled, "Well, you've right worn me out, Mr. Butler, I think we should get some sleep now…" She turned over and blew out the candlelit lamp by the bed and gently kissed him goodnight. "Goodnight Rhett." She nestled into his arms and he murmured the same.

---

Snow fell from the heavens and lightly dusted the city as it grew closer to Christmas Eve. Carolers went door to door each night, singing the Joy of the Lord to all, proclaiming the good news to each family they found. In the parlor, a great pine tree, shedding large amounts of needles was centered. A great red drapery lay below the branches to catch the shedding and adorn the room with festive spirit. Large parcels, small packages and everything in between were wrapped beneath the tree, adorned in golden paper, bright green bows, and red ribbons. Strings of popcorn and beads wound about the branches and delicate baubles hung from perilous perches.

Bonnie sat on Scarlett's lap, trying to count how many presents she would have, while Rhett read the latest reports in the paper, determined to finish before supper started, eager to get business out of the way.

"Three, four, five, seven…" Bonnie raised pudgy fingers for each number and Scarlett clucked her tongue.

"No baby, it's three, four, five, _six_, seven…"

Bonnie stuck her tongue out and sneered, "I don't even like six, it's a _stupid_ number," she finished snottily.

Rhett folded the paper and looked at his daughter sternly, "Bonnie Blue…"

Bonnie grudgingly counted correctly, starting again, "_six_, seven, eight…"

Suddenly the doorbell rang and Bonnie shrieked, "Mama, Daddy, its Uncle Ashley and Aunt Melly! And Beau!"

She wouldn't stop squealinguntil Pork had shown the red-nosed couple into the parlor. Melanie had immediatelyswept in, thanking Pork for taking her coat, holding her son's hand as he bounced, eager to open presents. A lovely eggplant dress with delicate red ribbontrailed behind Melanie's ankles, followed by a matching shawl, falling haphazardly off one shoulder. Her plain locks were decorated with a golden sprig of holly and red ribbons, letting her braids twirl into an elegant twist. Her face was healthily flushed and her smile was wide as she exchanged a kiss with Scarlett, and a formal embrace with Rhett.

"Oh Scarlett, what a divine dress you have on, you look lovely!"

Scarlett smiled, "Melly, I look downright homely next to you!"

Melanie smiled and flushed a bright pink, shaking her head humbly. "Scarlett," she said with a secretive smile, "you're practically glowing!"

Scarlett merely smiled back and tapped her nose to the other woman. Ashley was greeted with a kiss on the cheek from Scarlett, brotherly in every aspect, Rhett noted, as he shook hands with the man heartily, his mood improving drastically.

"I say, Captain Butler, it was ever so kind of you to send for the gifts before, I don't think we would have managed to carry them all the way here!"

Rhett smiled at Melly, a soft smile that he rarely used with Scarlett. She felt a twinge of jealously, but ruthlessly pushed it down. It wasn't Melly's fault that her sister-in-law's husband was so exasperating and difficult to read. She missed Rhett's response, but it didn't matter as she had been tackled into a hug by her nephew.

"Why Beauregard Wilkes, you just might be the most handsome man in this house! She patted his golden head fondly and stooped to embrace him.

"Thanks Auntie Scarlett!" He smiled, and she grinned back, noting his missing tooth.

"Mother, can we open presents now, please?" Bonnie looked up at Scarlett with her gorgeous eyes and Scarlett felt her resolve crumble.

"Well, it wouldn't hurt to open them before supper, would it Rhett?"

He merely swung Bonnie onto his hip and winked.

---

"We'll see you at Mass tomorrow morning, darling!"

Melanie and Ashley had parted, taking a carriage home, Beau asleep on his father's shoulder, a trail of drool escaping his mouth as the lap robe was placed upon him. Scarlett had raised a hand in farewell, shivering. Had it gotten colder? A warm weight settled across her hips and wrapped itself around her, pulling her into a warmer embrace. She felt lips graze her forehead and sighed, leaning into her husband.

"Bonnie's asleep already."

"I know, she was really worn out…opening those presents like nothing I've ever seen before!" They shared a mutual laugh and she sniffled again.

"Come inside, Scarlett, you'll catch a cold."

"All right," she complied.

They settled in front of the fire and he poured some cognac into a glass, offering one to her. Surprisingly, she declined. She looked a lot like Bonnie, he mused. Sitting there, her feet curled under her, her mouth a little bit open, her eyes bright and wide. When he had settled into his chair she had risen, and thinking she was retiring, he had merely sighed, closing his eyes. He opened his eyes, startled, a moment later, when she had settled herself in his lap. He let her move around for a moment, keeping very still and then wrapped his arms about her waist, letting her lean back onto his chest. She sighed and they sat in silence a little while longer.

"I never did tell you," she started, "what Doctor Meade had told me the other day."

He sat up, startled, "Are you ill? Scarlett, what did he say?"

She smiled mysteriously, "No, no…not ill, not exactly…"

"Scarlett, what did he tell you?"

She took his hand and he looked confused, kissing it briefly, she placed it over her stomach and rubbed gently. She caught his lips in a swift kiss and then backed away, holding his hand to her stomach the whole way.

"Merry Christmas, Rhett."

Her took her face with two warm hands and kissed her gently, and when he pulled away, she smiled and cuddled closer, inevitably falling asleep. They fell asleep that Christmas, the happiest they had ever been together, her head upon his shoulder, his arm wrapped protectively around her stomach.

---

"What could possibly be taking so long?" He paced angrily. Running a hand through his mussed hair, he muttered quietly to himself, almost wearing a hole in the carpet. A particularly loud scream met his ears and he whitened, moving to go to the stairs, but a thin arm blocked his way.

Ashley Wilkes shook his head and shoved a glass of brandy into Rhett's shaking hands, guiding him to a chair.

"Calm down, Captain Butler, Melanie, Mammy and Doctor Meade have it under control; you'll just get in the way."

He nodded a couple times too many and went silent. Wincing, Rhett continued to speak, "Damnit Wilkes, that's my wife, and that's my child too…I want to be up there!"

Ashley nodded passively but said nothing, an amused smile on his face.

"You'd think you were a first-time father, Captain Butler…"

Rhett half-heartedly snarled at the blonde man, "Stop laughing at me, I'm nervous damnit…there could be…complications."

Ashley sobered and put a reassuring hand on his friend's shoulder. "Scarlett's strong, Rhett. You needn't worry about her."

They both heard it then, the cry of a newborn babe, howling loudly. Ashley didn't try to stop Rhett as he sprinted up the stairs to his wife's rooms. Minutes later, though it seemed as if days had passed, he was let into the room. Mammy passed him, her silk petticoat rustling like a harsh wind and gave him a wide smile.

"Congratulations, Mista' Rhett!"

He nodded, still too nervous to speak, and Melanie passed by him, drying her hands on her apron, covering an old cotton dress. Beads of sweat dotted her forehead and he shook her hands vigorously, pressing kisses to both her cheeks in gratitude. She smiled and ushered him into the bedroom, before taking her leave.

Doctor Meade strode forth then, holding his medicinal bag, zipped and ready. "A good and easy birth, again, no matter how many hours it took. Congratulations, Captain Butler!"

He pumped the man's hand and with a dry throat, moved closer to the bed. Scarlett sat up against the head of the bed, clean sheets beneath her, with a swaddled bundle in her arms. Her eyes were bloodshot and she had purple rings under her eyes, as if she had been hit in the face during a nasty fight. Her skin was pallid, dotted with two red spots on her cheeks, and her breathing was slowly calming to an even rhythm.

Rhett thought he had never seen her so beautiful.

She looked up at him and smiled, tired, but genuine, "Come here and meet your son, Rhett."

He smiled widely and eased in the bed beside her, careful not to upset the balance, lest he cause her any pain. He curled an arm about her shoulders and let her rest her head on his chest, savoring her little sigh of appreciation.

"Thank you, Mrs. Butler…" he peered at the wrinkled face in her arms, soft dark hair covered the babe's head and his strong jaw and nose was clearly his father's. "He's perfect."

She snuggled closer, "Yes, he is…" Just as she began to drift off onto his shoulder, he whispered again.

"What are you going to name him, Scarlett?"

She looked up at him beseechingly, "I was thinking of calling him Gerald, like my Pa…Gerald Kinnicut Butler."

"I think that's a marvelous idea, Scarlett. Gerald Kinnicut it is…"

She passed the child to him and eased herself onto the pillows, relaxing slowly, just as she fell into slumber, three words left her lips, barely loud enough, but Rhett heard them just fine. "I love you…"

He looked at his son, and then his wife, feeling love coursing through his veins, "I love you too, Scarlett."

And in her sleep, she smiled beautifully.

**---**

**Ah, thank you for the kind words! There's one more epilogue to come, so stay tuned!**

**Review, please! (Oh right, I forgot...I don't own Gone With the Wind.)**


	3. Chapter Three

**I do not own Gone With the Wind. Though...I'd like to have Rhett Butler carry me up the stairs in a drunken rage and have his way with me. That'd be really, really, really, nice.**

---

"You can do this, sweetheart, I know you can!" The words were emphasized, encouraging.

The woman shook her head stubbornly, "No, I can_not_ do this! And what's more, I will certainly _not_ do this!"

Sighing heavily, the man ran his fingers through his golden head. He reached out his hand again, and spoke quietly.

"I know you can do this, darling. You can do anything that you put your pretty little head to." He paused and his eyes gleamed fairly mischievously. He patted his pocket for a moment, fishing about, and watched as her eyes followed his hand. "I have a present for you, if you promise to get on this horse with me…"

The woman's hand clapped excitedly, "Oh, do you really?" Her expression sobered, "But Beau, you know that I'm ever so frightened of horses, ever since I was little I was! terribly scared of them!"

He smiled warmly, hoping to soothe her. "Bonnie, all you have to do is sit here in front of me, and let me do all the work. Everything will be all right."

She found herself nodding at his words. Shaking her head once, she took the outstretched hand and clambered in front of him. He swatted a few glossy curls away from his face, and she turned around to face him, only for a moment. As her oceanic eyes met his own dull orbs, her hand tightened around his, seeking his comfort.

"Beau..." she trailed off, her face white with apprehension.

"Bonnie, darling," he spoke quietly, smoothing the hair back from her face, "I wouldn't let anything harm you."

"I know," shereturned meekly.

"It'll be all right, Bonnie darling, just hold on."

When he carefully wrapped one arm about her waist, dangerously gentlemanly-like, she clung to his arm fretfully. With only a single hand, he took the reins and spurred the horse into motion. Besides the sounds of the hooves on the dirt, trotting along, all Beau Wilkes could hear was the muttered prayers from the woman in front of him.

---

When they dismounted, she fell into his arms, joyful and frightened at the same time. Her face was buried in the crook of his neck and her arms tightened about him. Beau held her trembling form close, his arms around her waist, savoring her in his embrace. _God, I love her,_ he thought wistfully.

"You did it!" He laughed delightedly, pushing her away to look into her eyes, "Bonnie, you did it!"

Her face was very white, though color was returning, but her smile did not waver. "I did! I did it, Beau!" She looked at him intently, her eyes dancing, "Oh, darling!" Planting her hands on her hips, she glared, "Now where's my present?"

He looked at her carefully, smiling in a nervous sort of way. "You did something incredible for me, Bonnie…now it's my turn."

His hand went his pocket, but she scarcely noticed, as he had taken the moment to descend to one knee. Her hands flew to her mouth, and she gasped. _He was proposing! Oh, he was going to ask to marry her! How romantic!_

"Bonnie Butler," he started nervously, "I don't know what I did to deserve you, but I have you nonetheless. You light up every day of my life with your smiles and laughter. Every morning I wake, and thank the Lord that I shall again see your face, hear your voice, know your heart…Bonnie," he trailed off, "will you marry me?"

She stared at the ring. A moderate pearl surrounded by tiny sapphires, that twinkled like raindrops of azure blinked at her. The ring that she had always wanted stared up at her from Beau's hand. Her eyes traveled to meet his and seconds passed as she simply gazed at him in wonder. _Oh my God. Oh my God, he wants to MARRY me? What do I say? Do I say anything? What will Mother and Daddy think? Oh, what about Uncle Ashley? Will they approve - oh, nonsense! Who cares about them? I want to marry him, that's all that matters!_

There was a pause, and his heart sank to the ground. But with a shriek, Bonnie had thrown herself at him. They toppled onto the ground together and her lips met his in the tenderest of embraces. She drew back from him and placed little kisses all over his face, before meeting his lips again.

"Yes," she shrieked between kisses, "of course, _of course_, I'll marry you!" His arms encircled her and she merely sighed contently.

It seemed he had his answer, then.

---

_**La fin.**_


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